Boca Raton, Florida

If you have noticed that I have not been checking in of late, it is due to the fact that Mrs. Grandstander and I have just returned from a week's vacation in Boca Raton, Florida, where we stayed at the beautiful, fancy, and, not incidentally, expensive Boca Raton Resort & Beach Club.

(As an aside, I was told that "Boca Raton" is Spanish for "mouth of the rat", and name that dates back to the Spanish conquerors of Florida back in the sixteenth century.  However, I suspect that "Boca Raton" is REALLY Spanish for "land of rich old babes with lots of plastic surgery."  Just an observation on my part.)

The weather was beautiful, the service impeccable, and the food was absolutely top shelf.  Some scenes at the resort will give you an idea:

 (This was the view from our room.)

I mentioned that the place was expensive, and I don't want to sound like a whiny human being, and I expect to pay a price for top shelf facilities and services, but there comes a time where you just want to say...

But it was a wonderful vacation.  And we didn't stay at the resort the entire time.  We visited   the Everglades and took an air boat ride...

Saw some alligators in the wild....

Saw an alligator show...

And talk about fine dining...

And visited some surrounding areas such as downtown Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach, and Delray Beach.

Great to escape the Pittsburgh winter and wear shorts and t-shirts for a week.  As always, however, as we do at the end of every vacation, we invoke the words of Paul Simon and say, "Gee, but it's great to be back home."